Draft gear



K y1,696,345 Y w. H. COTTON Dec. 25, 192,8.

DRAFT GEAR Filed sept'. v, 1923 3 sheets-Shea 1 Dec. 25, 192s. 1,696,345

W. H. COTTON DAFT GEAR Filed Sept. '7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. H. COTTON DRAFT GEAR Filed sept. 7, 1925 5 sheets-sheet 5V Sms 2 55 55m /0/ .36 ,H17 I v 7a/ /,Z 46 Kx 4 /42- M Kaw 49 sa z x# 48x f3 4;

w ggg@ A' gig n lower 15, a rear follower 16, both of the Patented Dec. 25, 1928. l

rs si" g 1,696,345 vAralaronirica.: i

WALTER H. COTTON, GF CHICAG, ILLNIS, ASSIQNOR TO UNONr DRAFT GEAR COM- PANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

.A CORPORATON OF'DEKLAWABJE.

niiarr enna.

Application filed September 7,1923. Serial No; 661,375.

`The invention relates to draft gear for railway cars; and `itsobjec'ts are to secure reliability ofY action, rhigh eiiieiency, and great strength in'proportion to its weight y The invention is fully hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichf 1 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central `plan-view of the gear, details of the car structure being shown in plan;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical sectionof thev gear, showing it under' coinpression, the rear end of a coupler being shown in elevation; n

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the gearon theline 3--3 of Fig. 1, the gear being in normal position, the' rear endof a coupler beingshownin elevation j Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 ofFigS; n

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views inv perspective of the friction elements of the gear;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of one of the followers; and f Fig. 9 is a. transverse yvertical sectional view showing a modified form of construetion. y

A pair of center or draft sills of a'railway car are represented at 10the draft lugs at 11, 11, andthe buiiing lugs at 12, .12. The coupler butt is shown at 13,l and its extension or yoke at 14. All kof these parts areof ordinary and preferred construction, and forin no part of the invention. The improved gearcomprises a front folchainbered form andl ofl such length that their inner ends vmeet when the gea-r is under full compression. The side, top and bottoni walls of each of the followers are corr- `rugated, as shown at 17 18, the corrugations extending transverse to the axis of the gear, and at least one of them being utilized, as `hereinafter described, as a wedging element. Illiefollowers are further strengthened by the formation on their outer surfaces of .longitudinal ribs, as 19, at their inner ends being provided with a lateral outstanding flangey 20, and at theirouter ends with alongitudinallyextendingflange 21; The end wall kof each follower is provided with van inward depression along its vertical median portion, as shown at 22, strengthening webs, as 22a,crossing this depression. The corrugations 17, 18, ywhich are: not utilized forV wedging action are preferably spanned by webs, as 23. c

By the use of corrugations, ribs and flanges, and particularly of the first-named, the several walls may be connparatively` thin while adequate strength is obtained-- TheV corrugations very materially4 increase the uniform thickness. n

' The gear is of the friction plate type, cornprisingsets of intercalating plates interposed between friction Vmembers, some of which yhave a wedgingl action forcoinpressino' Ythe plates-springs .being provided forl opposing the longitudinal movement ofthe wedges and insuring their cooperation with the wedging surfaces with which they are associated. f

The wedging elements are shown as taking the forni of friction shoes 24 (Fig. 5), and, kas shown, are four in number, appear- 'ing plainly in Fig.` .-1, andr being designated,

strength, though the walls may be made ofV respectively, 24, 25, and 26, 27, two ofthe Y rib 28 in wedge forni, such rib entering onev of the corrugations, as 18, which constitutes the cooperating -wedging element. f

Housed within each of the followers, and

located on the aXis of the gear, is a, friction block 29, 80, shown in detail iii Fig. 6. Each V Vof these blocks is 'longitudinally channeled in `Vits sides for the accommodation of springs, as hereinafter described. and each is also socletedy from its inner end in both its upper and lower portions, jas' shown' at 31, 32, to provide seats for 33, 34..

The k,i'friction plates are arranged in four groups (Fig.4) 35, 36, 37, 38, two on each-` side of the axis of the gear, two groups-being above and two below its horizontal inedian line, theseveral groups being located. between the friction shoes 24l to 27 and the' central bloclis'29, (),\tlie adjacent yfaces of gageinent with `the contiguous plate.,

Eacligroup of frictionplatesvrconsists of two sets, one set, as 39, normallyy extending froina short distance from theend wall of tlieffollower 16,-well into the follower' 15, the otherlset, as`40, normally .extending fronia a pair of springsthese elements being flat `for frictional en- 'Ill -f creasing .this friction.

`followers is moved short distance from the end wall of the follower lawell into the follower 16, this arrangement being most plainly shown in Fia. 3. These plates are alike in form, one of them being shown in detail at il (Fig. 7). The plates of the two groups on the same side of the gear are arranged in reverse order. As shown in Figs. l and 3, one ofthe plates of the set 39 in the lower group 38 (Fig. is in contact with the shoes 26, while in the upper group 37 (Fig. one of the plates of the set 40 is in contact with these shoes. As there is an even number of plates in each group, as shown twelve, it follows thatvthe inner plate of the upper group belongs to the set 40, and ofthe lower group to the set 39. The plates of the two groups on the opposite side of the gear are similarly arranged. y The slices, the central friction block, and all of the friction plates associated with each follower are interlocked by means of cross-bars 42, 43, seated, respectively, in recesses Affi in the block 29, 45 in the several friction plates, and 4G in the two shoes, and recesses Li7 in the block 29, d5 in the friction plates, and f8 in the shoes.

The width of the friction plates is such that there is left between the upper and lower groups at each side a spring pocket, the lateral channels in the friction'bloclrs 29, 30 forming estensione thereof. Vithin each of these pockets-is located a pair of springs, as 49, 50, and 5l, 52, these springs reacting between seats associated with the two followers.

In the modification illustra-ted in Fig. 9,.

the cross plates 53, 54, which tie together the central friction blocks, the friction plates and the shoes are located above and below these elements, instead of adjacent to the springs 49, 52, as shown in Fig. 4c.

A pair of tie-boltsu, 56, arey shown as passing'centrally throuQ'hthe springs 33, 34, the ends of the friction blocks 29,30, and the end walls of the two followers. The function of these rods is to hold the gear in assembled form previous to installation. They may be left in the gear after installation, if desired. Y

Normally the shown in Fig. l. @n the application of either bufling or draft stresses one of the toward the other, the being resisted mainly by 52. vThe shoes, as 2e, 25, of the advancing follower are carried forwardly with it, their advance being resisted by their frictional engagement with the plates, and consequently a wedging action occurs which forces the shoes inwardly, in-

The tie bars, as 42, 4:3., are carried forwardly with the shoes,

initial movement the springs 49 to advancing the friction blocks 29 with which they are associated, compressing the springs parts occupy the positions' 33, 34, which urge backwardly the friction block and shoes associated with the stationary follower.

The ends of the friction plateswhich are associated with the advancing follower are presently encountered by the end wall thereof, and these plates are consequently advanced betweeuthe plates associated with the stationary follower'. The friction plates associated with the` latter follower are moved backwardly into engagement with its end wall'by reason of the friction developed and then, remaining stationary, the other sets of plates are advanced between them. At its inner ends each of the friction plates 4l is recessed, as shown at 57, to afford clearance for the tie bars within the follower into which these project. rlhe width of the recesses 4:5 in all of the plates is preferably greater than the width of the tie bars so that the positive advancing movement of the plates is due to the engagement of the end wall of the associated follower with their inner ends.

In release the springs 49 to 52 urge backwardly the follower which vanced, relieving the wedging action upon the shoesv and consequently reducing the friction between the various parts. The springs 33, 34, acting directly upon the central friction blocks, and through the tie bars, asv 42, 43, upon the shoes, carry these parts backwardly, and, as soon as the tie bars encounter the outer ends of the slots f5 in the plates which have been advanced, carry these plates'backwardly with thein. The other set of plates are mal position by the friction,and the central friction block and shoes associated with the stationary follower assume their normal positions by reason of the friction and the wedgng action of the shoes under the influ! ence of the'outward pressure ofthe friction plates. f

By reason of the arrangement ofthe friction plates of the upper and lower groups in reverse order, as described, the tendency of the outer plates of one of these groups' y'to carry with it the shoe Vor central wedging element with which it is associated is opposed by the corresponding outer plate of the other Vgroup, which remains stationary.

Vhile preferred forms of construction are shown, I do not desire to be restricted there to, as any form which comes within the deiinition of the invention contained in the ap pended claimsI regard as being. scope thereof. 'Y

I claim as my invention n l. Ina draftgeaig'a pair ofoppositely ar ranged chambered followers having corrugated side walls, a group of friction plates within said followers, friction shoes having inclined faces engaging said corrugated walls s'uiiiciently has been ad# res-tored vto nor'- 'ithin the ends of the plates 2. In a draft gear, a chambered'follower having walls of substantially uniform thick#y ness throughout, one of such `walls being configured to form a plural-ity of corrugations, certain of said corrugations constitut-v -ingv wedging faces.

23. In a draft gear, a pair of followers, y'at least one thereof being 'chamberech havingy transverse corrugations in its Yside walls, and relatively movable shock absorbing elements interposed -betweenthe followersl com prisingvan element having Van inclined face cooperating as a wedge with Vthe inner face of one ofthe corrugations, resilient means for resisting the compression of said gear' and acting directlyon said followers for releasing the gear., and means for yieldingly resisting the inward movement of said elements upon theycompression of ysaid gear. el. In a draft gear, a chambered follower having corrugated'walls forming a plurality of inclined facesjshock absorbing elements associated `with the follower, sai'dielements being relatively movable and 'frictionally engag'ing each other, one vof suoli elements hav' ing av wedgingface cooperating with one of the inclined faces'of thefollower, and resilient means for resisting the inward movement of said followers and said last named element upon compression ofthe gear; n

5. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair` of chambered followers, shock absorbing-elements interposed between the 'followers and coniprising a pairof centrally. disposed fric tion blocks, shoes havingwedging engagenientl with the sidewalls of the followers, groups of relatively movable intercalating friction plates interposed'between the friction blocks and' the shoes, spring means interposed between and engaging said followers, and means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said shoes during the compression of the gear.

6. In a draftgear, in combination, a pair of chainbered followers, shock absorbing ele-v ments interposed between the followers and f comprising a pair of centrally disposed friction blocks, shoes having wedging engagement with the side walls of the followers,

means for yieldingly resisting the inwardV movement of said shoes during compression of the gear, groups of intercalating friction plates interposed between the friction blocks and the shoes, means for interlocking the shoes associated with each' follower with one of the blocks and with` one set' of the plates of each group, and means for returningvthe parts to normal position after compression- 7. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair;

`of chambered followers, shock absorbing elements interposed between the followers and comprising a pair of centrally disposed fricfriction blocks,

tion blocks, shoes having wedgin'g engagement with the side walls'of thefollowers,

means for yieldingly resisting the inward movement ofsaid shoes during compression f ofy the gear,y groups of Vintercalating; friction plates interposed between the friction blocks and the shoes, transverse bars each engage.-

able with shoulders onf one of the blocks, one set of the plates of eachigroup and on one pair vof the shoes, and resilient means for re` sisting compression ofsaid gear.

8. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of chainbered followers having wedging portions on their side walls, shoclr absorbing elements interposed between the follow ers and comprising'a pair of centrallvdis` posed friction blocks," shoes having wedging portions forengagement with the wedging portions of the side wallsofthe followers, eaclrof said shoes having an extended friction surface in frontof and at the rear of its wedging portion, groups of intercalating friction platesinterposed between the frictionblocks and the shoes, means for interlocking' the shoes Aassociated with each followerl with one of the blocks and with one setof the plates of each group, and4 spring means interposed between the blocks.

9. Ina draft gear, in combination, apaii of chambered followers, shock absorbing elei' ments interposed between the followers and comprising a pair of-` centrally disposed shoes having wed-ging engagement with theside walls of the followers, groups of yintercalatiirg friction plates interposedfbetween the friction-blocks i and the shoes, means lforinterlockingA the shoes associated with each follower with one ofthe blocks and kwith one set of the plates of each group, spring means interposed between the blocks, and spring means interposed between the followers.

10. A draft Vgear comprising a pairv of followers, central and outer `friction ele- .ments associated with said followers, groups of intercalating friction Lplates interposed between the central and both outer friction elements,"the two sets of plates of different groups being arranged in reverse order, means for compressing said plates on compressiony ofy said gear, and resilient means for returning the parts to normal position after compression.

l1. In a draft gear, in combination, a fric.

tion member, two groups of intercalating friction plates cooperating with the same face of suoli menibei,tlie two sets'of plates of the two Vgroups being karranged in reverse order,and`ineans for urging the groups of plates toward the frictioninember during Vies compression of the gear, and resilient means to restore the parts to normal position after compression. l

1,2. In a draft gear, in combination, yopposed chambered followers each having wedging faces associated with its side walls, friction shoes associated with such side walls and having wedge faces cooperating with wedging faces thereof, a central friction element-within each follower, an upper and a lower group of intercalating friction plates Y interposed between corresponding sides of the two central elements and the adjacent shoes, the two sets of plates of the upper and lm Yer groups beino' arranged in reverse order, and means for forcing the friction shoes against and into frictional engagement with the plates, and for causing the relative movement of the friction plates.

18. ln a. draft gear, in combination, opposed chambered followers each having wedging faces associated with its side walls, friction shoes associated with such side walls and having wedge faces cooperating with wedging faces thereof, a central friction element within each follower, an upper and a lower group of intercalating friction plates interposed Abetween corresponding` sides of the two central elements, and the adjacent shoes, the two sets of plates of the upper and lower groups being arranged in reverse oi'- der, and springs reacting between the two central elements. V

14. In a draft gear, in combination, opposed ohambered followers each having wedging faces associated with its side walls, friction shoes associated with suchside walls and having wedge faces cooperating with wedging faces thereof, a central friction element within each follower, an upper and a lower group of intercalating friction plates interposed between corresponding sides of the two central elements and the adjacent shoes, the two sets of plates of the upper 15. In a draft gear, in combination, op- L posed chambered followers each having .wedging faces associated with its side walls, friction shoes associated with such side walls and'having wedge faces cooperating with wedging faces thereof, a central friction element within each follower, an upper and a lower group of intercalating friction plates interposed between corresponding sides of the two central elements and the adjacent shoes, the two sets of plates of the upper' and lower groups vbeing arranged in reverse order, springs reacting between the two central elements, bars interlocking the central element and shoes of each follower with one set of plates of the several groups, and springs reacting between the two follower. f

V16. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of followers having wedging portions on their inner walls, shock absorbing elements interposed between said followers and comprising a pair of centrally disposed friction blocks, friction elements movable relatively to each other and to said blocks, shoes engaging said elements and having wedging faces for engaging said wedging portions, resilient means operating independently of said blocks for resistingy the inward movenient of said followers, and resilient means for resisting the inward movement of said shoes on the compression of said gears.

WALTER H. ooTroN. 

